‘We shouldn’t be in a hurry to replace Ezeigbo Gburugburu’

The Anglican Bishop of Amichi Diocese, Right Reverend Ephraim O. Ikeakor (JP) spoke to Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, in Nnewi on the intending burial of the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu. Excerpts

As it right for Chief Ralph Uwazurike to take over from Ojukwu as Ezendigbo Gburugburu?

Ojukwu is the hero of Igbo race and Ezeigbo Gburugburu is a very serious position that nobody should toy with. We can’t be in a haste to look for Ojukwu’s replacement as Ezeigbo Gburugburu.

You know nobody even chose Ojukwu, it was his activities that placed him in that position. So, if anybody is coming out now to say he is crowning somebody Ezendigbo or Ezeigbo Gburugburu, that person is making a great mistake.

Ojukwu was never crowned by anybody but his actions spoke for him. He has started defending the Igbo race far long before it was formalised. His activities made every Igbo man to believe in him and to accept Ezendigbo Gburugburu as his correct title. A situation where one is given a name or a title and nobody accepts to call him or her that, is that justified?

So, we should not be in a hurry to name a successor to Ojukwu because these people you are naming, I don’t know what they have done for Igbo land.

I don’t even know their sacrifices to Ndigbo that would merit that position. That they joined a particular group because they believe in this or that does not make them to become Igbo leader. Do you know what it means to be Eze Igbo Gburu gburu?

You must have convinced every Igbo man of your achievement, your commitment, your sacrifice and denial of your rights. You know that Ojukwu would have relaxed if he wanted and government would be pumping in money for him and he would betray the Igbo race like so many others did.

But Ojukwu sacrificed his comfort, his rights, his conveniences to see that his people are not marginalised; his people are not treated as subordinates or subjugated in their own country. So, it is hasty for us to start crowning somebody Igbo leader even when Ojukwu has not been buried. Let that person prove it as Ojukwu did and all of us will follow him as our leader.

Any regrets over the death of Ojukwu?

There is nothing like regrets because even while alive he never regretted any of his actions. It should be what we will miss by his death. We, as Ndigbo, will miss a true Igbo patriot and we have lost in Ojukwu a man of unflinching conviction. Nothing moves his conviction. Ojukwu is a man of determined resilience. These are the three words I will use to summarize Ojukwu for you. Ojukwu is a great man of valour.

Do you think that the national burial for Ojukwu is enough?

The national burial is just casual. Ojukwu should be nationally and state wise immortalized. They should look for universities, major institutions and major streets in all parts of this country and name it after Odumegwu Ojukwu.

They should go to Abuja and look for a major street and name it Odumegwu Ojukwu street, avenue or road. They should go to each state of the federation and look for an institution and name it after Ojukwu.

That man is just our all because he sacrificed his all for this country. So, national burial is just a casual thing-one day thing and it’s over but we need something that Ojukwu would be remembered for.

We need monuments in his honour. That is a challenge, especially for the South-East leaders and governors because the other parts of the country may not see it this way we are seeing it. The state governors , political appointees and members of the National Assembly of Igbo race should think in that direction.

Do you think the late Ikemba Nnewi represented Ndigbo well before his demise?

Yes and without fear of contradiction, I don’t want to know what anybody thinks. My answer is a very solid yes. That man is an Igbo man to the core.

That man is a true son of Igbo land. That man really made us to know that an Igbo man is somebody who is very resilient in whatever he believes in.

He is very firm to the blood. So, I hail that man he represented us very well. We are proud of his antecedents.